Skimmer performance issues and hair algae

[AqCons]

180 gallon reef,, with hair algae issues. 1 year old. Have refugium. Mostly softies and LPS. Fish: Regal, Kole, Coral Beauty, 2 Lawnmower Blennies, 3 PJ Cardinals, 4 Green Chromis, Yellow Head Jaw, Watchman Goby, 2 Firefish/Dartfish.

I had a Turbofloter on and it wasn't pulling much of anything out. Pump was cleaned out. It is working fine because I put it on some live rock I'm curing for a friend and it is pulling stuff out. So I put on a Red Sea Berlin Turbo. This isn't pulling anything out either but it was when I had it on the live rock tank. I know with the amount of fish I have that it should be pulling something out. Right? But why isn't it? This hair algae is driving me nuts and it keeps getting worse. I only feed 1 cube of Formula 1 and 1 cube of Formula 2 Mon., Wed., Fri. 2 175 Watt 10K (14K) Blueline MH and 2 VHO Actinics. MH are on for 8 hours a day. Bulbs are only 1 month old. I don't know if the hair algae is partly from the skimmer not pulling anything out or what.

Should I invest in a better skimmer? If I did would it pull anything out?

Help. Thanks!

 

[Blown 346]

While, the newlighting can have a cause for the hair algae. I just upgraded to halides ( 2 250 watt ) and I have some hair algae but it is in my fuge, not my tank. I also have the same feeding regimen.
I just pull out what I can get and it has subsided alot.
How many gallons can the skimmer handle?
I suggest a skimmer rated for twice the size of the tank it will go on. I have a 90 gallon and have a skimmer rated for 200 gallons and I always have skimmate.

 

[AqCons]

They are both rated for 250 gallons.

Do you think my fish load is too much for the tank?

I also have lots of crabs, snails, emerald crabs, etc.

I had the hair algae issued before switching bulbs. I have always had 175 watt bulbs but replaced them about a month ago.

I had a third 175 watt bulb that I took out a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if I did the right thing or not. The tank has a glass brace and I have heard that the glass brace filters out the "good" light. I have a very large leather toadstool under that glass brace. So far he hasn't shown any negative signs since taking out that 3rd bulb. But I'm just not sure if it was the right choice.

As far as the skimmer goes, I will look for a new one. I would like a Deltec but they require an inline pump and the refugium isn't plumbed on that end for one.

 

[spankerbob]

I would cut the MH time down to five hours or less a day, that turbofloater should do the job well enough, my kent is practically the same unit with the same pump and it pulls stuff.
First are you using Ro water for top offs and with the salt mix?

What kind of light on fuge and how many hours a day?

Does your fuge have macro algea? What kind?

How much flow in the main display do you have?

Is there alot of surface agitation in display?

With how little you are feeding your fish and corals, your skimmer will have very little to pull out. It is in compettion with the other things in your tank for those solid waste protiens, so you will see very little performance from it.

 

[AqCons]

Fuge has 2 18W PC lights on 24/7

Fuge has caulerpa, (grape, feather, etc.)

I know I don't have enough circulation. I only have a Mag 12 on it. However, I have a Blue Line HD 70 (I think) to put on. Just have to find some time to do it. Also have 2 3/4" Sea Swirls to put on (if they'll fit). I'll probably have to turn the BlueLine down some.

Not a alot of surface agitation. REturns are pointed towards the sand because when they were pointed otherwise, the sand stayed brown with algae.

I'll turn lights down more.

I do use RO/DI for everything concerning the tank.

I do have ALK issues right now. It is low and having trouble increasing it. Using Kent ProBuffer DKH and it's not increasing it very much. I've been using it every other day for a month. I know I"m supposed to use it daily but the tank is at work and I'm there Mon, Wed, Fri and nobody else will touch the tank.

 

[pitt_prodigy]

Hair algae is partly due to your lighting and partly to the nutrient load in your tank. Would a better skimmer help? Yes... especially if the one you have isnt pulling out anything.

But before i would run out to the LFS with cash in hand, i would try these first.

1. Physically remove as much of the hair algae as you can. Just pull it out or scrub it off the rock. Best to do this outside the tank if possible due to the fact that the little fragments given off could start new colonies if they attach.

2. Cut lighting back for a little while. May to 6hrs.

3. Get a better cleaning crew. Mexican turbo snails and the like will eat certain types of hair algae.

Good luck. This is what worked for me in conjunction with purchasing a better skimmer.

 

[HippieSmell]

Here's what I would do:
1) Leave the photoperiod the way it is. Those nutrients need to be processed, and algae are helping you do that.
2) Get more snails to eat the algae.
3) Add more flow.
4) Fix your skimmer, or buy another one to get all the nutrients out.

You could take all the rock out and scrub it, but it won't solve the underlying problem. Snails will control the algae from top-down, flow will keep nutrients in suspension, and a better functioning skimmer will remove the nutrients. HTH

 

[AqCons]

Thanks for all the replies. I certainly appreciate it. I will look into a new skimmer this weekend. I was thinking of a Deltec but I'm not sure yet.

Thanks again!

 

[chadfarmer]

both those skimmer are way overrated

 

[AqCons]

What skimmer would you recommend? I can't place it in the sump but I can hang it on the side/end of the sump.

 

[chadfarmer]

deltec mce 600


most people cant afford it

than would be


coralife ss (but some people have had problem with them)


thats about it for that big of tank

also how old are the metal halide bulbs and what is your phosphates

 

[bergzy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6488899#post6488899 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AqCons
Fuge has 2 18W PC lights on 24/7

Fuge has caulerpa, (grape, feather, etc.)

I know I don't have enough circulation. I only have a Mag 12 on it. However, I have a Blue Line HD 70 (I think) to put on. Just have to find some time to do it. Also have 2 3/4" Sea Swirls to put on (if they'll fit). I'll probably have to turn the BlueLine down some.

Not a alot of surface agitation. REturns are pointed towards the sand because when they were pointed otherwise, the sand stayed brown with algae.

I'll turn lights down more.

I do use RO/DI for everything concerning the tank.

I do have ALK issues right now. It is low and having trouble increasing it. Using Kent ProBuffer DKH and it's not increasing it very much. I've been using it every other day for a month. I know I"m supposed to use it daily but the tank is at work and I'm there Mon, Wed, Fri and nobody else will touch the tank.

you basically answered a lot of your own questions:

- increase your circulation
- blow detritus off your rocks with a baster or powerhead
-get more random flow with a closed loop or powerheads
- AND esp - get your alk to about 10 (slowly) and your pH to about 8.5 to 8.6 SLOWLY!!! i recommend a calibrated pH meter for this. low alk and low pH will encourage hair to grow. oh, and check your salinity, preferably with a refractometer, and make sure it is 1.025. i observationaly (is that a word?) found that high salinity encourages unwanted algae growth as well.

i like seachem reef buffer for raising alk.

hth's...

 

[AqCons]

bergzy, thanks for the advice. I have had trouble raising the alk. I'll try the seachem. I think I actually have some of that. I have a Milwaukee PH Meter. I need to calibrate it though. And I have a refractometer.

Thanks! I'll get to work on it right away. I appreciate your help.